Warren Buffett is not at all excited about the US economy right now

Warren Buffett speaking with Becky Quick ... and some
people taking photos in the background.CNBC

Warren Buffett isn't that excited about the US economy right now.

Speaking with
CNBC's Becky Quick on Thursday from the parking lot outside
his bridge game in Omaha, Nebraska, Buffett said simply, "This
economy is not booming."

"On the other hand," Buffett added, "it's not falling apart
either."

On Thursday, the first reading on first-quarter 2016
gross-domestic-product growth showed that the economy expanded at
a rate of just 0.5%.

Buffett added that rail traffic had been quite disappointing this
year, and while a major dent in the industry is being made by a
decline in coal shipments, he said that across the 25 industries
that Berkshire's BNSF railroad unit deals with, "a very
significant percentage of those are disappointing."

Asked whether he agreed with economists who say economic growth
has picked up in the second quarter, Buffett said, "I wouldn't
know," but, he added, the economists "don't know either."

To the surprise of no one, Buffett told Quick that over the long
term his optimism level about America was a 10.

For 240 years it's been a terrible mistake to bet against
America, and now is no time to start. America's golden goose of
commerce and innovation will continue to lay more and larger
eggs. America's social security promises will be honored and
perhaps made more generous. And, yes, America's kids will live
far better than their parents did.

Thursday's comments make clear he hasn't changed this position.
Buffett has spent his whole business career betting on this same
future for America.

And given this view, Buffett said he was not really worried about
short-term changes in the economy.

"If I feel like a 10 on long-term optimism, why should I get
depressed if I get a cold today?" Buffett said.

As for what Buffett looks forward to most about the Berkshire
Hathaway annual meeting — which will take place Saturday morning
— he said simply: "The biggest thing I really look forward to is
hearing what Charlie [Munger] has to say. He never fails to
surprise me."